Pitino to the Mavs?

The Division I coaching carousel has slowed to a near stop; the big-time jobs are, for the most part, filled. But a rumor floated in today's New York Post could set things a-spinnin' once again: Peter Vecsey is reporting that the Dallas Mavericks may be interested in hiring Rick Pitino.

Now, we generally take notes in Vecsey's column with a grain of salt -- he does tend to err on the side of the sensationalist. That said, there are a few reasons to believe this might be more than wild conjecture:

• The notion that Pitino might want a third crack at the NBA is highly plausible... if only to erase the sour taste left by his stint with the Celtics.
• The idea that attention-crazed Dallas owner Mark Cuban might be interested in a marquee name also fits... and Cuban, by many accounts, wants a coach who will play a more open, fast-paced style to suit the strengths of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd.

Probably won't happen... but makes for an interesting scenario.

From the same Post article comes far more distressing news that former Syracuse great and NBA all-star Derrick Coleman needs a heart transplant at age 41. Coleman was diagnosed with arrhythmia late in his NBA career, but the condition was controlled with medication until recently.

Coleman played for the Orangemen from 1986-1990. As a freshman, he was a member of the team that made an unlikely run to the NCAA championship game before falling to Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers. He played four years for Jim Boeheim and finished his collegiate career as the leading scorer and rebounder in school history -- his scoring record was surpassed by Lawrence Moten, but the rebounding mark stands.